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UPDATE - The EDCpen final design is at the bottom of this page.

EDCpen

The EDCpen is a custom machined pen with a minimalist design that will fit in your pocket unnoticeably and feels great in your hand when used.

* DISCLAIMER *

You are taking a chance by bidding on my project to help me see my design idea come to life; you are not shopping from a store that will fulfill your instant gratification desires! Thank you for your support.

I am not an engineer or product designer by trade. I am a former Infantryman and Paratrooper who enjoys having a handful of everyday carry (EDC) items that I find practical and useful on a daily basis.

After going through many pens over the years I decided for one reason or another that I did not like carrying a typical long generic or clicky style pen in my pocket. This led me to start my journey to create the ultimate EDCpen, and hope that you will find my EDCpen a useful part of your own every day kit.

EDCpen Design

My goal for this pen is that it simply be durable, functional, and visually appealing. Something compact enough that one can carry in their pocket every day and not realize it is there, until needed!

I have worked on the design for a while now on my mini-lathe, however realized I could not get the full results that I desired with simply turning the pen on my lathe. Ultimately to get the design that I want I will need the pen to be custom machined by a professional machine shop on a CNC machine. I am currently working with a professional machine shop to provide me with the custom machined EDCpen that meets my design specs.

EDCpen Design Inspiration

I have been contacted by a few people about my design, my design inspiration, and the impression that I simply copied Mike Bond's Sentinel Cache design. I have been tinkering with my pen design since last summer after originally receiving one of Ian Schon's "pen project pens". I like his pen but personally found major shortcomings with it for my needs. My cap design was inspired by the Kleen Kanteen "loop cap" and then I modified the hole to be wider than round so as to not have so much wasted open space so when clipped onto something the cap would be stronger. I tested that design and found it to slip in my fingers and not get a good grip when unscrewing. I then added the four flutes up top for grippage and mirrored that on the bottom of the EDCpen body to be uniform with the cap. I have the utmost respect for Mike and his work did not intend it to copy his design, and if it looks that way I apologize. I have no desire to upset people in the community nor have them think that I simply copied and reworked anyone's design.

Many thanks goes out to MIKE from MAXUM MACHINE in Richmond, Virginia for the amazing prototypes.

The EDCpen is fully manufactured in the good ole' USA. Support your local businesses and economy!

EDCpen Specs

* Body and Cap will have an Outer Diameter of 0.5”, Length of 4.5” closed and 3.7” when open and used to write.

* Materials used will be Aluminum, Stainless Steel, and Brass.

* Fisher SpacePen ink cartridge (PR4).

* Setscrew for the ink cartridge will be 1/4-20 x 3/8” Stainless Steel or Brass.

The Fisher Space Pen (PR4) cartridge was chosen for its ultimately dependability. Its sealed pressurized cartridge design is able to perform in temperatures ranging from -30ºF to +250ºF, underwater, in zero gravity, at any angle, even upside down!

Each EDCpen starts out as a solid piece of material (Aluminum, Stainless Steel, or Brass) that will be machined into the final pen.

There are no little clicky pieces to break or fall off, no clips to snag on your pockets, and no inner mechanisms to seize up and fail. The only major concern is losing the pen and having to order another one :D

EDCpen Versions

EDCpen Aluminum – This version is machined from T-6061 Aluminum with a tumbled finish. These will be right off the machine, then tumbled and deburred for a nice finish. (weight 1.1 oz / 31 grams)

EDCpen Brass - This version is machined from C360 Brass giving it high strength, corrosion resistance, and will take on a slight patina as it is used and ages. Perfect if you need a pen in a non-sparking environment. (weight 3.2 oz / 90 grams)

Why you should pledge for an EDCpen

* Because it uses the uber-cool Fisher Space pen ink cartridge, allowing you to write virtually anywhere with it.

* Because it is the ultimate everyday carry pen.

* Because if you don’t need one, your friend does! Surely you need a great gift for the person who has everything.

EDCpen final design details

Image 1 below- The EDCpen Stainless Steel with the lanyard style pen cap that will come standard with all EDCpen’s, as well as the OPTIONAL bullet style pen cap. The bullet style pen caps are a Kickstarter exclusive and will only be available through the KS campaign. If you would like BOTH the standard cap and bullet cap you can ADD a bullet cap via the BacketKit survey that will be sent to you once the campaign as ended. This photo also shows the three radial grooves that assist with preventing finger slippage when writing, as well as the installed o-ring.

Why do I need funding?

I need your help to manufacture the EDCpen and get it into your pocket! I have worked on multiple prototypes with my mini-lathe, however need funding to get the final designed pen to a machine shop to complete the final run pens. I have used my personal funds to work with an engineer to come up with the drawings and CAD images that meet my exacting specs and design elements as well funding the manufacturing of the fully functional prototypes. After multiple rounds of revisions all of the engineering drawings and CAD images are now complete. I will use the funds from this campaign for product tooling and machining fees associated with producing the pens.

For this project I am looking to do a FIRST run of 100 pens, and hopefully more if you are as excited about the EDCpen as I am! WHEN I hit the funding goal I will open up additional rewards!

Risks and challenges

While I anticipate this project to run smooth, challenges will pop up out of the blue like they always do. Especially when you think you have everything under control.

There may be special tooling required to make the perfect EDCPen, however I do not anticipate this happening, as it is a rather straightforward design.

I will have to purchase the ink cartridges in bulk from a U.S. retailer, so any delays on that front will cause a ripple effect. Again I do not see there being a shortage of Fisher Space Pen refills, however stranger things have happened in the past.

I will be on the timeline and at the mercy of the machine shop and any CNC programming challenges they may face during the machine setup and machining of the pens. However I have already coordinated for CNC time to manufacture the pens.

How will I overcome these challenges?

I will have the machine shop do a very small batch pre-production run of pens to ensure they meet my design specs prior to shipping out any EDCpen to you.

If this project become massively over-funded it will of course alter my estimated delivery dates, as production in larger numbers will require additional allotted time on the machines shop’s production schedule. WHEN this happens I will open up additional rewards.

I will do everything within my control to make sure you receive your EDCpen in a timely manner, and hopefully sooner than you expect.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $25 or more
About $25

EARLY BIRD EDCpen Aluminum - Be one of the very first kids on your block to have an EDCpen Aluminum.

This version is machined from T-6061 Aluminum with a tumbled finish. These will be right off the machine, then tumbled and deburred for a nice finish. Your name added as a backer to the EDCpen website.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $35 or more
About $35

FIRST RUN EDCpen Aluminum - This version is machined from Aluminum with a tumbled finish. These will be right off the machine, then tumbled and deburred for a nice finish. Your name added as a backer to the EDCpen website.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $40 or more
About $40

SECOND RUN EDCpen Aluminum - This version is machined from Aluminum with a tumbled finish. These will be right off the machine, then tumbled and deburred for a nice finish. Your name added as a backer to the EDCpen website.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $50 or more
About $50

FIRST RUN EDCpen Brass - This version is machined from Brass giving it high strength, corrosion resistance, and will take on a slight patina as it is used and ages. Your name added as a backer to the EDCpen website.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $55 or more
About $55

SECOND RUN EDCpen Brass - This version is machined from Brass giving it high strength, corrosion resistance, and will take on a slight patina as it is used and ages. Your name added as a backer to the EDCpen website.